William Lybolt Sutton

Photographer: Sutton
Hornellsville, N. Y.

William Lybolt Sutton
(1828 - 1899)

Some items from this timeline are taken from the “Sutton Family Sketches” (SFS) from the book “Landmarks of Steuben County, NY” (1896) by Harlo Hakes, page 495, as found on Ancestry.Com (copy shown below);


1828 Nov 06
Redding, (SFS) W L Sutton is born to John Sutton and Catherine Lyboult
1850 Jul 24
Milo, NY, US census, William L Sutton as sailor; “Sutton Family Sketches” says he was on a whaling expedition for four years
1854
Hornellsville, NY, (SFS) W L Sutton moves to Hornellsville, NY working as a machinist
1854 Nov 17
Benton, Yates, NY, Ancestry Tree, W L Sutton Marries Mary Louise Eaton
1855 Jun 12
Hornellsville, NY, state census, W L Sutton as machinist
1857
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton buys the photograph gallery of George S Young
1858
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to Main Street

1859 Mar 10
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune, newspaper ad says Sutton’s Ambrotype and photograph gallery is on Main Street over Young’s Clothing Store: note: ad dated 1859 Sep 08)
1860 Jun 28
Hornellsville, NY, US census, W L Sutton as photographer
1860 May 30
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune newspaper ad indicates Sutton Gallery has been on Main Street in Young’s new block since May 1860

From a contributing reader:
Monday, September 02, 2019 2:09:00 PM, Blogger Ge said…

"I have a photograph by Sutton of a great great great uncle that died in the second battle of Bull Run, 1862. The back has a round stamp with "W.L. SUTTON Hornellsville N.Y." He enlisted in September of 1861. So Sutton was working as a photographer before then."

1863 Jul 01
Hornellsville, NY, civil war draft, W L Sutton listed as photographer
1864 Sep 15
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune newspaper ad says Sutter Gallery is at “old stand” Young’s block

1865
Hornellsville, NY, SFS Civil War Ends, W L Sutton Partners with Carl Myers
1865 Jun 10
Hornellsville, NY, state census W L Sutton as daguerrian artist
1867
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton partnership with Carl Myers ends; Sutton moves to Seneca Street
1867
NY State business directory lists only J G Main as photographer in Hornellsville, NY
1867 Feb 14
Girbekksvukke (NY) Weekly Tribune, ad says W L Sutton has purchased the J H Newman interest in the “Old Picture Gallery”
1868 Apr 16
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune, ad says Sutton studio is at 112 Main Street
1869
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to Canisteo Street
1870
Hornellsville, NY, Sampson Davenport State business directory, William L Sutton as photographer

1872 Mar 01
Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune, small ad says W L Sutton will open a gallery in Hornellsville in the Spring
1875 (circa)
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to Griswold Block
1875
Hornellsville, NY, city directory W L Sutton gallery is at 191 Canisteo Street
1875 Jun 01
Hornellsville, NY, state census, W L Sutton as artist; Son C P Sutton listed as assistant
1880 Jun 14
Hornellsville, NY, US census, W L Sutton as photographer
1883 May 24
Buffalo (NY) Weekly Express, small news item says that W L Sutton has been appointed special photographer for the New York Graphic, for Hornellsville and vicinity
1890
Hornellsville, NY, SFS, W L Sutton moves gallery to 731 Main Street
1891
Steuben County directory, W L Sutton as photographer at 171 Main

1891 Mar 12
Buffalo (NY) Evening News item says a fire has destroyed the Sutton Gallery over the Porter Grocery on Main Street
1891 Nov 20
Elmira (NY) Star Gazette item says W L Sutton has opened a new gallery just across the street from the old one opened in 1857
1892
Hornersville, NY, state census, W L Sutton as photographer; son Charles also listed as photographer
1899 Mar 15
Elmira (NY) Star Gazette news item says Sutton’s son Charles is now in charge of the gallery
1899
Hornellsville, NY, state records, W L Sutton dies at age 70

DePew (NY) Herald - 01 Jun 1899

“Sutton Family Sketches” (SFS) from the book “Landmarks of Steuben County, NY” (1896)
by Harlo Hakes, page 495

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
10 Mar 1859


Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
30 May 1861

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
16 Apr 1868

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
15 Sep 1874

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
14 Feb 1867

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly
08 Mar 1872

1875 Hornellsville City Directory ad

Buffalo (NY) Weekly Express -
24 may 1883

Buffalo (NY) Evening News -
12 mar 1891

Elmira (NY) Star gazette -
20 Nov 1891

Elmira (NY) Star Gazette -
15 Feb 1899

Hornellsville (NY) Weekly Tribune -
19 May 1899

In addition to the many studio portraits, Sutton also did street scenes and landscapes, often in stereo.

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block, Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block
171 Main Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block
171 & 173 Main Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer W L Sutton
Griswolds Block
171 Main Hornelsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card on the left

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

photographer: W L Sutton
171 Main Street, Hornellsville, NY
example from pinterest, no source shown

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton
Hornellsville, NY
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

The following four examples were finished perhaps around 1899. A newspaper article (above) from 15 Feb 1899 places the studio at 131-133 Main in Hornellsville, NY, and Andover, NY.

Note also that the WLS monogram appears on only the first example. W L Sutton died in May of 1899 so it is possible that the studio was operated only by Sutton's son Charles P Sutton.

photographer: Sutton (W L in monogram)
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton (no monogram)
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

photographer: Sutton
131-133 Main, Hornellsville, NY (also in Andover, NY)
example from auction site

reverse of card at left

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.

This is a work always in progress.

Aditional information and new examples are always welcome. Any additional information will help narrow the time that these precious antiques were made.

All submissions should be free of glare and shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.

Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately removed.

William Allen Carson

photographer: Carson
Hillsdale, MI

reverse of cabinet card at the left

William Allen Carson
(1833-1909)

Information sources: US, Canadian census, state marriage and death records, news items as noted

1833 Mar 28
Seneca, NY, Michigan death records, Ontario, CA, marriage records, William Allen Carson is born to William Scott Carson and Angeline B Colwell in Seneca, Ontario County, New York
1850 Jul 15
Seneca, Ontario, NY, US census, Carson at age 17
1860
Toronto, CA, city directory as no occupation shown; res 6 King st w
1861
Toronto, York, Canada West, Canada; as photographer; res King st North side
1863 Sep 11
Ontario, CA, Ontario county records, William A Carson and Mary Ann Wylie marry
1867 Jul 16
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news display ad for Andrews and Carson photo studio

1870
Hillsdale, MI, city directory as photographer with Andrew & Carson; res s s Bacon, cor Manning (This partnership with Reuben L Andrew was likely very short.)
1870 Jun 14
Hillsdale, MI, US census Carson as photographer
1875 Oct 26
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item about Carson and the Eureka Club elections in Hillsdale, WI
1876 Sep 26
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item mentions W A Carson, popular photographer
1877 Jan 23
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item mentions social at the home of W A Carson
1878 Jul 30
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item says Carson has just returned from a trip through Illinois and Iowa
1879 Sep 16
Hillsdale (MI) Standard news item says Carson has left for Toronto, ON the day before
1880 Jun 05
Hillsdale, MI, US census Carson as Daguerrian artist

1881
Peoria, IL, city directory, Wm A Carson NOT listed; Wm B Carson is listed as photographer
1889
Peoria, IL, city directory Carson NOT listed
1890-1891
Peoria, IL, city directory Wm A Carson as artist
1892 Mar 09
Detroit (MI) Free Press according to a news item, Carson is listed as visiting Detroit from Hillsdale, MI
1892
Peoria, IL, city directory Carson NOT listed
1893
Detroit, MI, city directory Carson NOT listed
1893 Oct 01
Detroit (MI) Free Press news item says Mrs W A Carson and daughter have returned from Hillsdale
1894
Detroit, MI, city directory NOT available
1894
Cleveland, OH, city directory Carson NOT listed
1895
Detroit, MI, city directory as photographer for G A F Peterson; bds 76 Sproat

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 26 Sep 1876

1896
Cleveland, OH, Detroit, MI, city directories W A Carson NOT listed
1897
Cleveland OH, Detroit, MI, city directories, Carson NOT listed;
1898
Cleveland, OH, city directory as clerk; res 121 Streator
1899
Cleveland, OH, city directory as clerk; res 123 Streator (123 probably a print error)
1900
Cleveland OH, city directory as photographer; res 121 Streator av
1901
Cleveland, OH, city directory Carson as photographer; res 1703 Superior; no studio listed
1902
Cleveland, OH, city directory Carson NOT listed
1903
Detroit, MI, city directory Carson NOT listed (1902 Detroit, MI, directory incomplete)
1904
Detroit, MI, city directory as photographer; bds 31 Joy; no studio listed

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 23 Jan 1877

1905
Detroit, MI, city directory Carson as Printer; bds 33 Joy
1906, 1907, 1908, 1909
Detroit, MI, city directory as photographer; bds 31 Joy; no studio listed
1909 Aug 03
Michigan state records, William Allen Carson dies at age 76

Carson moved around a lot. Records found him in Toronto, Detroit, Peoria, Hillsdale, and Cleveland. When his location is unknown, the timeline above lists places he was NOT.

While still living in Hillsdale, MI, he was active in the Eureka Dancing Club and the Hillsdale Amateur Dramatis Association.

William A Carson apparently worked for other photographers most of his career. It appears the only time he had his own studio was between 1870 and 1880 when he was working in Hillsdale, MI. And at least some of that time he was partnered with Reuben L Andrew as “Andrew and Carson”.

Hillsdale (MI) Standard

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 16 Sep 1879

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 16 Jul 1867

Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 26 Oct 1875

Detroit (MI) Free Press - 29 Mar 1892

Detroit (MI) Free Press - 01 Oct 1893


Hillsdale (MI) Standard - 10 Jan 1899

photographer Carson
CDV example found at Langdon Road

photographer: Carson
Hillsdale, MI
example from pin

photographer Carson Hillsdale, MI example from auction site

photographer Carson and Graham
Hillside, MI
example from Detroit Public Library

photographer Carson and Graham
Hillsdale, MI
example from Detroit Public Library

photographer Carson ad Graham
Hillsdale, MI
example from Pin

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. Listed here are all the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY. This is a work in progress. For a look at the original postings go to LOST GALLERY.

Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, they will be immediately removed.